The games industry is like the 60s/70s version of Hollywood. It's just gotten to the point that it's highly profitable, but nobody knows why. As it is, it's a huge boom and all the big business guys are starting to look into it as something to invest in. So... point is, it's at the lowest point that any entertainment industry can get - making games purely for cash and forgetting that there should be a 'fun factor'. Heck, some game designers even oppose that a 'fun factor' is a vague term, something that shouldn't be used in academic game design principles.
But seeing some of the more recent games, the games industry is improving. There's still nothing that can be regarded as a true masterpiece, except maybe X-Com, FF7, and maybe Halo.. though Halo and X-Com are quite flawed.
So for most of you who even think of starting off in the games industry.. do what an actor for in 70s Hollywood would do. Become an extra. There's only 2 ways to break into the industry - as a programmer or graphics artist. Game designers are notoriously undervalued... heck, in some companies, even senior management thinks that they can be game designers. In most, game designers are promoted from interns or staff, depending on how rich the company is.
So, for you Mr. Lukas Hägg [WC], unless you're willing to accept ridiculously low pay, don't enter the industry as a designer. Game designers are artists, and like all artists, they probably have to do a lot of sidewalk art before they get noticed and paid millions. Even then, most of their patrons realize that they can be replaced.
And a tip... don't even bother to focus on making a good storyline, that's like a painter who focuses on being able to draw perspective right. It matters little, especially when you consider that the half of the best game designers in the world - Will Wright, Sid Meier, Chris Crawford don't even use storylines. The other half, um, like the persons who designed King's Quest and Monkey Island, did a good job of weaving the storylines with gameplay, but they fade out too quickly.
And a final tip... one of the main reasons computer-related graduates don't get jobs is because they're too damn academic. Game design is a very, very new industry, less than 2 decades old. Half the theories out now will be obsolete by 2015. Heck, if you tried to sell a remade 1995 hit these days, it'll flop, because nobody likes games where you have to restore more than 5 times an hour. Your best hope is to grab a history book from time to time and read up on the interesting bits. Or at least watch Discovery channel for an hour a day. Trust me, it'll do wonders for your creativity.
Oh and I'm personally too disillusioned by the games industry, that I quit on it a few years back. I'm currently taking a diploma in electrical (communications) engineering, final semester, 1st class. Planning to take an electrical (comm) degree, and maybe a comp sc. degree if I have time, then maybe a masters/phd in AI.
And when I tell lecturers that I plan to be a game designer, they look at me like I'm crazy . But hey, education in math/trigonometry helps in coding, my knowledge of control systems/calculus would really help when it comes to balancing a game. So, basically I have a way higher chance than most of you people of becoming a designer .
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
I claim the assistant game designer position for JonWoG's game . Or lead game designer. Whichever gets less pay and less work. Oh, and I don't have any experience with Java. I once did a good game design for a commercial game that flopped due to lack of direction and did the coding for another. At least I got a new comp and MMF 1.5 from one of them.
MMF isn't bad, it's just lagging too far behind modern game technology. It's perfect for making any game that doesn't rely too much on collisions, particles, or a lot of control. Now if they did a good MMF 3D, that could solve half of the problems and create 5 times as many new ones .
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
The games industry is like the 60s/70s version of Hollywood. It's just gotten to the point that it's highly profitable, but nobody knows why. As it is, it's a huge boom and all the big business guys are starting to look into it as something to invest in.
No-one (succesfully) enters the industry as a game designer nowadays, most studios require at least 1-3 years of industry experience and a hefty portfolio. The position of game designer is a sort of quasi-artist kind of thing though. The game designer comes up with the concept (not always though) and when the game goes into production the GD takes on more of a leader role. People tend to mix up 'producer' and 'game designer'.
I might end up in the movie business as well though. Since I found out making maquettes is hella fun! lolz
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. But hey, education in math/trigonometry helps in coding, my knowledge of control systems/calculus would really help when it comes to balancing a game. So, basically I have a way higher chance than most of you people of becoming a designer 
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